Dental Articulator

Abstract

A dental articulator is provided in which at least one of the two arms thereof has a base member that is articulated with respect to a bracket element onto which a dental model may be mounted, allowing independent movement of the dental model with respect to the pivot axis hingedly linking the arms.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. provisional patent application No. 61 / 193,867 filed Dec. 31, 2008, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to dental articulators.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Dental articulators are well-known tools used by dental practitioners and technicians with dental models, in general for producing, developing or testing dental prostheses or dentures. Articulators are generally meant to provide a relative spatial relationship between the upper and lower jaws, often providing the user with valuable occlusal information, and are hinged to enable the upper and lower dental models to rotate with respect to one another, in a manner that may be analogous to that of a real jaw.[0004]Simple dental articulators allow relative movement between the upper and lower dental models with one degree of freedom only, about the hinge axis, and often the dental model...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The coupling arrangement is comprised in a mount, which is configured for providing a stable and repeatable relative positioning between the bracket member and the base member in a datum alignment position, while permitting relative movement therebetween in at least two degrees of freedom, for example including two rotational degrees of freedom different from rotation about the pivot axis.

[0021]The said mount is configured for providing a stable and repeatable relative positioning between the first mount part and the second mount part in said datum alignment position, while permitting relative movement therebetween in at least two degrees of freedom, for example including two rotational degrees of freedom.

[0027]According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a dental articulator comprising a first arm hingedly joined to a second arm about a pivot axis, each said arm adapted for mounting a dental model thereto, wherein at least one said arm comprises a bracket member adapted for mounting a dental model thereto, articulated with respect to a base member that is adapted for being hingedly joined to the other said arm about said pivot axis, allowing independent movement of the dental model with respect to the pivot axis hingedly linking the arms during operation of the articulator.

[0029]According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a dental articulator comprising a first arm hingedly joined to a second arm about a pivot axis, each said arm adapted for mounting a dental model thereto, wherein at least one said arm comprises a bracket member adapted for mounting the respective dental model thereto, a base member adapted for being hingedly joined to the other said arm about said pivot axis, and a mount configured for kinematically coupling the respective bracket member and the respective base member. Such kinematic coupling allows for relative movement between the bracket member and the base member in response to a suitable external force or couple while urging the bracket member into abutting contact with base member to assume a datum alignment position in the absence of the external force or couple.

Problems solved by technology

Simple dental articulators allow relative movement between the upper and lower dental models with one degree of freedom only, about the hinge axis, and often the dental models, which are typically made from plaster, are connected to the articulator in a manner that may cause damage to the models when removed therefrom.

Extremely complex articulators are also known, which can imitate the occlusal and masticatory movement of a particular patient, but operation of such articulators is complex and may require specialist training.

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